Blood Dusk
by Peanut-Alien-Ninja-Girl
Summary: A lady-in-waiting in the Uchiha estate, Sakura thought she had a good - if a little dull - future ahead of her, but after receiving troubling news about the state of her home province, she's willing to strike a bargain with someone who should not be trifled with. [Feudal Japan AU/MadaSaku/Lemon]
1. The Moon Rises Red

**_Yo_**

 **This story contains descriptions of rape, violence, and comsumption of drugs (alcohool). If these are subjects you don't deal well with, I sugest skipping this one.**

* * *

 _The land shines golden in the morning light; the sun sets the world on fire; like… the… sleeves? No, that wouldn't do…_

"Forehead, guess what?" Sakura was jolted from her reverie when a familiar voice all but shouted in her ear. Had she been so focused on her attempt at composing a verse that she didn't notice her friend crouching behind her?

"What's so important you have to scream, Ino-pig?" She complained, but only half-heartedly, as she was secretly grateful to have something to keep her from the self-imposed torture that was poetry.

"I'm doing you a favor, you know" The blonde spoke in faux-reproach, before smirking, her eyes glinting with mischief "guess who just returned?"

Sakura's mouth opened in a soft 'o' and she stood up with a jump, nearly pushing her friend down.

"Hey!" she protested, balancing on the ball of her feet, and Sakura sunk back to her knees, bowing in apology.

"Sorry! I just…"

"Don't worry, I know what you mean." Ino grinned brightly, patting her arm "It's not every day that Sasu-"

"Ino-pig!" The pink haired girl clasped a hand over her friends mouth to shut her up, and felt the vibrations of her muffled laughter.

Sakura failed to see what was so funny about it. She was young, and had only been a lady-in-waiting in the Uchiha Estate for a few months, but that was more than enough for her to learn the ropes of court dynamic.

If the unseemly affections she harbored for the youngest son of Lord Fugaku, one of the highest ranking officers in the clan, became known that would be one more thing they'd have to use against her. Although, being only the daughter of a small feudal lord who had nothing but a few plots of land and the fealty of some peasants, she wondered why anyone would be interested in learning her weaknesses.

But the walls were thin and all sorts of fiends lurked in between them. She was a lady-in-waiting for the soon-to-be wife of Lord Fugaku's oldest son, and thus any information on that matter Sakura confided to her mistress could easily turn against her. Lady Mikoto was known both for her love of her family and the fierceness with which she protected them, and if she thought Sakura wasn't worthy of her son's attention then it would be expected that she did everything in her power to keep the two of them apart, and she'd certainly have the backing of every clan member; Members of noble families who wished to expand their influence and sought to marry their daughters into the Uchiha clan would wish her demise if they thought she was a threat; Other ladies-in-waiting, as Lord Sasuke was still seen as desirable match, not even accounting for his social standing; And though she could think of no reason she could have infuriated the clan's elders, officers, and head itself, those where the ones she was most wary of. They had been responsible for the destruction of families far greater than hers, and the descriptions of the Uchiha Lord ranged from the chilling to the panic inducing.

It was best to keep that a secret, if only for her father's sake. The only person in the whole world who was aware of her feelings for Lord Sasuke was Yamanaka Ino, who, after a ballistic introduction (quite literally – they fell on top of each other), became her best friend, not only in the wolf's den that was the Uchiha main estate, but for life, as the blonde had told her.

Sakura sometimes wondered why someone as beautiful and charismatic and of a higher social standing would want to be friends with her, but she was immensely glad that this didn't seem to matter to Ino.

"Yes." She nodded, removing her hand from her giggling friend's mouth "But let's not talk of it."

"Paranoid as always, forehead." Ino remarked playfully "Our lady doesn't need us, so let's take a walk in the courtyard, what do you say?"

Sakura wanted to protest, after all, the courtyard meant the entrance, and the entrance meant that _he_ would be there, after nearly two months of campaign in the border of the Uchiha territory, and she didn't need to be day-dreaming about someone she had no hopes of being married to. Still, Ino liked to tell her to be hopeful, and, that failing, she threatened to steal the young man for her own if Sakura didn't act soon. That usually resulted in fueled rants from the pink haired woman, but not much more than that.

Before she could open her mouth, the two were already walking down the halls, arm in arm, whispering about beautiful and transient things, like young court ladies ought to.

They did not reach the courtyard.

"Miss! Miss!" A small servant boy stumbled in their direction, panting in exhaustion, and though Sakura tried to pretend she hadn't noticed him, Ino's grip on her arm kept her in place.

The boy paused to regain his breath, and Sakura felt bad about trying to avoid him once she noticed how much he must've ran all the way there.

"You… you are Lord Haruno's daughter, right?" He asked, and Sakura nodded warily "They said… they said he's under siege!"

Sakura's hands dropped to her side as her eyes widened in shock.

 _Siege? Why would anyone want to lay claim to their lands? They had next to nothing!_

The boy was about to run away when Ino held him by the forearm.

"Hey, what's the big idea? Who said what?"

"The generals!" He answered, fighting to get loose "They said everything to the east was under siege and that the Uchiha Lord would send armies to destroy everything!"

"This is not funny! Why-" The boy managed to free himself from Ino's grip and took off in the direction he had come from "Hey! Get back here! Sheesh… Can you believe the nerve of that kid, forehead?"

Sakura, however, had stopped listening a while ago, and the words "destroy everything" echoed in her head.

She imagined a thousand different scenarios in the space of a few seconds – the peasants in her home province being ripped from their lands; her parents being brutally murdered; her home going up in flames. There were so many horrible things that could happen…

That is, if they hadn't already happened.

She felt fingers entwining with her own, and looked to the side to see Ino with a kind smile.

"Don't stress over it, Sakura." She advised "That boy was just trying to play a prank on you."

Sakura removed her hand from the other woman's, almost as if her touch burned, and frowned.

"How do you know that?"

"C'mon, why would a servant-"

"He came running all the way over here!" She protested "I need to know, Ino!"

The blonde's smile fell, and she shook her head.

"Ok, tomorrow we-"

"Tomorrow might be too late!" She whirled around, making a dash for the end of the hallway. She could hear Ino's footsteps close behind, but they stopped not much after they started.

Sakura only ran through two corridors before she realized that she had no idea what she was supposed to do. The most obvious thing to do was to talk to the Uchiha Lord, but Sakura didn't know where she could find him. In fact, the only thing she'd learned about the man was that none should try his patience – which she undoubtedly would if she asked him to spare her father's land from the fury of the Uchiha.

She still thought it was worth the risk, but how was she to risk anything if she didn't even know where he was. But, even if she didn't know it, there was bound to be someone who did, namely, officers, and, with that in mind, she approached two guards standing outside a room she knew she had never been to.

"My apologies" She bowed deeply "I'd like to be taken to the Uchiha Lord."

The men looked at her as if she had sprouted a second head.

"I have information that I believe he could use in the campaign in Tōtomi province."

"We have people who deal with this." One of the guards drawled "We can communicate you wish to speak with them."

"I truly appreciate it, but I'd only entrust this information to the Uchiha Lord."

The two men exchanged glances, and the one that hadn't spoken shrugged.

"It's fine. If she's playing tricks she'll be done for, anyway. I can cover for you."

The first guard hesitated for a second, before nodding and motioning for Sakura to follow him.

He led her through a series of hallways before they finally reached a large door guarded by two other men, those more finely dressed than the first two. Her guide bowed before them, and she did the same.

"The young lady says she has information on Tōtomi she wishes to relay to the Uchiha Lord directly – and only him."

After a few seconds of pondering, the guards bowed their heads ever so slightly, and her guide took this as his cue to leave.

One of the officers knocked on the door, and waited a couple of seconds before a voice from inside the room gave them permission to enter.

The guard opened the door, gesturing for her to go first, following her close.

The room was dark, the only source of light being a small window close to the ceiling. The walls were made of paneled wood, and the floor was covered by _Tatami_ mats. It would've been empty, if not for the man sitting in the far end of the room, his eyes traveling from an open scroll in his lap to the newcomers.

Sakura sunk to her knees, bowing until her forehead touched her legs, while the guard bowed at the waist.

"My lord." He started "This girl claims to have helpful information for the Tōtomi campaign, and she will

His tone seemed disdainful, as if he didn't believe she was telling the truth... which she wasn't, but she still wished he'd make an effort to sound less cynical. She needed all the help she could get.

The guard mumbled a "yes", turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him and leaving her in darkness.

"Girl." A deep voice broke the silence and Sakura lifted her torso to look at the man addressing her.

The Uchiha Lord didn't look as terrifying as she thought he would be. She was half-expecting a giant with sharp teeth and bloody clothes, but she only found a tall man, with long hair and an intimidating air about him. She supposed he looked scary enough, but he certainly wasn't the monster she had expected.

"What is it that is so important that you need to come to me?"

"Ah, yes… I am a lady-in-waiting for Lord Itachi's fiancé" That was all he took for his neutral face to drop into the most bored expression she had ever seen "and my father is a lord in the north of Tōtomi province. I've heard that the whole region was under siege and… everything was going to be destroyed" That seemed to pique his interest "M-my family has been allied to the Uchiha for decades, I know my father would-"

"So you don't really have anything you mean to tell me?" He interrupted, and Sakura lowered her head, knowing her hopes had been crushed.

"No." She admitted in a small voice, before bowing again, her hands extended in front of her in the best sign of submission she was physically capable of "I beg of you. My family has always been loyal to the Uchiha, and though our army is small I know they'd fight bravely under yo-"

"Your family name?" He interrupted once again, and she slowly returned to her former position to meet his eyes.

"Haruno."

The Uchiha Lord seemed to be in deep musing, before a grin surged on his face.

"Yes, your army is certainly small. And weak." Sakura had to force her face to remain impassive "They have no use from a militaristic standpoint, and there is no point in protecting such invaluable allies."

"Please!" Her voice was shriller than usual "I know Tōtomi like the back of my hand, and if the Uchiha want to expand their area of influence, we could certainly-"

"That won't do." He sighed, and after the third interruption the woman had to bite her tongue to keep from lashing out "We don't need information on their lands. Although some sort of deal could be arranged."

Sakura perked up at this, listening to his words attentively.

"I assume you write home frequently." He continued.

"Whenever I can, my lord."

"Then you will write a letter home, claiming you are being treated poorly in the Uchiha estate." He explained "Your letters are to contain information that is given to you by me or my most trust-worthy officers, as if you're trying to aid the Kigawa clan in defeating the Uchiha."

"But" Sakura began, her eyes wide with fear "If they find out there is a ploy against them, they will kill-"

"Which is exactly why we'll give them exactly what was promised." He drawled, and Sakura was much too confused about his statement to feel angry about the interruption "Just do as you are told, and you have my word your family will be freed and spared."

She didn't like the plan – she didn't understand it fully, and she would only be a passive participant – but if this was the best that the Uchiha Lord would give her, she'd have to take it.

"I swear I'll do as it is instructed, my lord." She bowed again.

"But this plan will consume far too many resources." He sighed dramatically, crossing his arms and looking at the ceiling "Recovering the other lands with less damage will hardly be enough to cover the costs."

 _Was he going back?_

"We- we will pay tributes!" She amended quickly.

"That would help." He sighed once more, and Sakura swore he was mocking her "Although… no, it might be too little."

"What would you have us do?!" She nearly shouted, before lowering her head "…my lord."

"You said you are a lady-in-waiting?"

She nodded

"Have you received any marriage proposals?"

"No." She would've normally been more embarrassed to admit it, but she wanted to see where he was going with this.

"Good. This might prove to save your father's life." When he saw the puzzled expression on her face, he elaborated further "If the Kigawa want to solidify their claim on that region, it would only make sense they would seek to marry some of their own to the nobles of the area."

That made sense. She was about to nod in agreement when the Uchiha Lord chuckled.

"I assume you have never met a Kigawa?" He asked, only to burst out laughing when she shook her head "Oh, you poor thing. Yes, I think I'll do you one more favor."

And with that, he stood to his full height, motioning for her to stand up.

"My lord?" she obliged.

"I'd pity any young lady marrying into the Kigawa clan. I can assure you, your future will be filled with dull nights."

Sakura paused, now more confused than ever.

"Come closer." He instructed, and that was when reality hit her hard.

 _Dull nights… one more favor… Did he-?!_

"Thank you, my lord, but you've already done so much!" She exclaimed, bowing once more, while preparing herself to sprint out of the room.

"We're to close the deal." He spoke in a neutral voice, extending an arm towards her, and she wondered how he could be so nonchalant with those matters… Unless Ino was right, and she was overly paranoid.

Sakura walked to him with slow steps, stopping just out of his reach. When she saw he hadn't made any motion to move, she knew she wasn't just imagining things.

She came even closer to him, until he finally lowered her arm. She was much closer than what was proper.

"I apologize…" She blurted out, her shoulders visibly shaking "it's not… correct, my lord."

There was only a moment of hesitation on his part.

"Correct is what I say it is." He rested one hand on the back of her head, and used the other to pull the tie securing her hair together.

Fingers danced through threads of pink, dragging some strands with them, only to let those fall on her shoulder, and the breath hitched in her throat when he used his newly freed hand to cup her face and force her to look him in the eyes.

She didn't dare blinking.

He leaned in closer, slowly, and in Sakura's eyes almost wavering, but just as she hoped he wouldn't, he closed the distance between their lips.

She closed her eyes reflexively, waiting for some sort of blow, but he was surprisingly gentle. He brought her head closer, all the while rubbing circles with his thumb in the back of her neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

The Uchiha Lord pulled away, muttering something that came out stifled by their proximity. He waited for her reply, but after she only stared at him for a few moments, he narrowed his eyes and the pressure from his hand increased.

"Open up." He instructed, and she parted her lips, only to have something plunge into her mouth. She tried to pull back, but his grip on her neck was unrelenting. She felt sick and suffocated, but his sudden hostility seemed to have vanished, so she thought she could pull through.

He was slow, almost as if he had nothing better to do than kiss her, and after the fourth time he paused to allow her to breathe properly, Sakura almost wished it would be true. She felt she was getting used to it, and if this was as far as he was going to get, then there should be no problem.

It wasn't much longer until he seemed to get bored, though, and Sakura shivered when she felt the hand that had been cradling her cheek slide down her back to the sash keeping her clothes in place.

Torturously slow, he pulled on the knot of her _obi_ and parted the fabric underneath it, revealing her flesh and making her gasp and pull back, but his arms had coiled around her waist like a viper, keeping her in place.

"I didn't think the one to come beg me for help would be so coy." The Uchiha Lord sounded amused, and though she didn't dare take her eyes off of his, she imagined he had some sort of grin on his face.

He leaned in once more, and Sakura parted her lips without prompting. While his tongue took to exploring her mouth, his hands slipped underneath her robes, one running up and down her spine and the other rubbing circles in her belly.

She wished this wouldn't feel as good as it did.

Warm lips detached from hers and traveled all the way to her neck, and there she felt her skin being assaulted by tongue and teeth. Meanwhile, the hand in her stomach slid upwards to fondle one of her breasts. Now that she had nothing covering her mouth, her ragged breath was much too evident.

When Sakura felt a bite in the junction between her neck and shoulder her knees buckled and she would have fallen if the Uchiha Lord hadn't wrapped his arms around her. While her hands grasped at his clothes, as if she'd fall down through the earth if she had nothing to hold onto, his fingers crept downwards, caressing her backside, bringing her shameful pleasure. As they went even lower, she whimpered against his chest and prayed that he'd stop. It felt too good and too _wrong_.

He removed his hands from her cheeks not much after she wished he would, to both her relief and disappointment, but her ordeal didn't seem to be over yet.

He ripped her hands from his clothes, holding them in one of his, before kneeling and bringing her down with him. He let go of her wrists and pushed her down on her back, and before Sakura could even think of reacting, he had kneeled in between her legs, appraising her body with his eyes.

Embarrassed, the young woman tried to cover her face with her sleeves, only to have her arms pushed aside and pinned to the floor.

"Now, we can't have you hiding" The Uchiha Lord cooed "I want all of you."

Sakura swallowed, closing her hands in fists to fight the urge of covering herself with them.

Once he seemed to trust her not to move, he began untying his own sash, more aggressively than he had done hers, and opening his robes. When she saw him lowering his hands to reach for something under his clothes and beneath his navel, she directed her eyes to the ceiling and started taking deep breaths.

 _Fine… you'll be fine Sakura._

She felt fingers pushing her knees up, until her lower back was lifted from the ground. They were held in place by one hand, while a second slipped her undergarment down her legs, before her limbs were freed, being spread by a pair of thighs. Something hovered above her womanhood.

 _I can't breathe._

Sakura braced herself for the searing pain she had heard about so many times, but none came. Instead, she nearly jumped when she felt a pressure on the nub above her entrance.

She only noticed she had sat up when a hand pushed her back down on the mat, and laughter filled her ears.

"Easy there, we've only just started." Sakura didn't think his voice could get any deeper, but apparently, she had been wrong. "Look at me."

She opened her eyes slowly, afraid of what she'd see, to find the Uchiha Lord hovering over her.

Exactly what she had feared.

"Now stay." He instructed, placing one hand on the side of her face, before sliding it down to where he had previously touched her, marking a path over her neck, her shoulders, her breast, her waist, and her hip.

He pressed his finger against her, and now prepared, she didn't move. He rubbed circles there, his speed slowly increasing, and, with it, the volume of her gasps.

She knew that feeling, although never as intense as this, and certainly not brought by hands other than her own.

She had wanted to escape from his grip before, but now all she wanted was for him to finish what he had started, consequences be dammed.

The Uchiha Lord, however, didn't seem to be in such a hurry, as he slowed his ministrations to a halt, leaving her panting in frustration.

This time she didn't have to wait long, as he lowered his other hand to her sex and plunged one finger inside of her. It went in almost effortlessly, and the lascivious grin on the man's face would've bothered her, if she wasn't close to begging him for more.

He thrust his finger inside of her a few times, before inserting another, and this time she gasped in pain. To her relief, he brought his other hand down one more time, resuming his fast pace, while also stretching her in the most delicious way.

She didn't think anything had ever felt so good.

Sounds that were not her own erupted from her throat, while her hips moved in the rhythm of his fingers. She felt herself contracting and contracting, as if she'd become so small she could vanish. And then…

Sakura screamed, slamming her hands against the floor and bucking against his hand in a desperate attempt to hold onto the pleasure they brought. As she came down from her high, the Uchiha Lord still thrust his fingers inside of her, as if determinate to keep her in her aroused state.

After she had calmed down some, but aftershocks of her orgasm were still noticeable, she felt the fingers inside of her being removed, but she knew the Uchiha Lord wouldn't have gone this far to let her leave without getting anything from her.

Hands spread her knees as far as they'd go, and that _horrible, magnificent man_ , nestled himself in between them. She felt something probing her entrance, and she knew this would hurt more than the two fingers had.

The Uchiha Lord seemed to have sensed her apprehension, for he entwined his fingers in her hair and rubbed the back of her neck with them.

"It will be fine." For a moment he looked almost… _kind_ , and honestly concerned about her, but Sakura was certain she was only imagining it.

He pushed into her, and she gasped in pain, momentarily forgetting how to breathe. He paused for a second, as if to wait for her to adjust to him, but he apparently wasn't feeling patient anymore, as he began to move deeper into her before she felt ready. He moved slowly, but it still didn't alleviate her ache.

The young woman's eyes prickled with tears, and turned to the wall to avoid looking at him. She looked at the window, and realized that the sun was setting, but oddly, the sky wasn't orange or pink, but red.

That could be a good verse.

She lost notion of time, too busy focusing on her breathing, until she became used to the pain. The Uchiha Lord finally seemed to be getting tired, but, to her dismay, she was starting to become more than merely used to him. The pleasure was slowly returning, and Sakura already felt shameful enough about what had just happened.

The pants and groans intensified, and she had the sudden fear that he would finish inside of her, but he pulled away just before the deed was done, coating her belly with his seed and collapsing on top of her.

They remained like this a little longer, before the Uchiha Lord stood up, rearranging his clothes. His face showed no hint of emotion, making Sakura feel more used than she could remember having felt.

"I'll send for you later this evening." He remarked, shrugging on his coat "You may leave when you wish."

And with this, he left, while the young woman remained affixed to the same spot, her eyes glued to the now dark sky outside.

She wondered if the guards outside had heard what had happened… They must've. After all, the walls were thin.

She could say goodbye to her hopes of getting married to someone influential.

 _The morning light shines_

 _Laughter fills the world_

 _The moon rises red_

 _In damp sleeves she lies_

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 **OOC-Madaraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-…!**

 **I had this idea while on a trip and I really wanted to write it. It has plot for a multi-chapter story, but the stand alone fic works too – because, let's be honest, you're not here for the plot, are you?**

 **That thing at the end was a sorta-kinda-metric-poem that is really bad (the metric is all wrong), but just intended to capture the 'feel' of the traditional Japanese poetry.**

 **Here's a curiosity for you: Madara is never addressed by name here, because this is from Sakura's perspective, and she doesn't know his name.**

 ***covers face with sleeves* I can't believe I wrote smut. And with such a cheery topic to boot!**


	2. Troubles from Ashes

The small council met at least once a month on the evening of the sixth day, unless the encounter was postponed for whatever reason. The meetings followed a specific pattern – the greeting (which he was always responsible for, unfortunately), the introduction of pressing issues, and, at last, they could finally discuss the actions to solve said issues.

Madara had no trouble partaking in ceremonies if they had a point or at the very least had some potential for entertainment – something the rituals for a council meeting seemed to be entirely against. He suspected all the others in the room ultimately agreed with him, as he had seen people napping in those reunions frequently. He had never been tempted to go that far, but he often allowed his thoughts to wander.

After some lamentation over the dullness of those meetings, his mind went back to the young woman he had left not an hour earlier. She was a far more pleasant thought than anything his council had to talk about, that was certain. He had left her with the knowledge he'd send for her later, so that his plan would be put into action as soon as possible. His words had been purposefully ambiguous, and he was curious to find out what she would conclude he wanted from her that evening.

It was a pity he had to leave as soon as he did. Hearing the drone voice of an elder, Madara was really starting to regret it (the meeting wouldn't start without him, anyway). He noticed the girl had begun to enjoy herself again just before he finished, and if he'd stayed a little longer he could've…

No, that was a little too far to take that image at the moment. Obscenely bored or not, there were some things one should never do in a meeting, and if he continued on that trail, his thoughts would become visible in no amount of time.

Still, he couldn't help but ponder how out of the ordinary that was for him. He didn't seek company (especially of that nature) often, and though he was known for his impulsivity in battle, he tended to be far more careful on personal matters.

He surmised it was precisely because it had been so long since he had a proper battle, and a part of him longed to do something reckless, seize whatever opportunity he was given, and if that came in the form of a beautiful girl who had no power to refuse him one way or another, then so be it.

"And with that" through the course of the years Madara had become attuned to the phrases or gestures people would use whenever they expected him to give his input, being able to react to it even through his hazy state of mind.

And this time it was not much different. However, that day he found himself in a unique position.

After their latest battle with the Senju and a hasty truce (that he wondered which one of the two clans would be the first to break), the Uchiha had been left in shambles, and while some of his kinsmen wanted his guidance in those troubling times, others sought to make his ruling all that much harder, believing he was the one to blame for the state they found themselves in.

Needless to say, the siege in Tōtomi wasn't helping his case.

"We cannot hope to advance to the west whit the threat of having our lands taken the moment we step out. The Kigawa are our primary concern." He declared, and none seemed to be surprised by this statement, which was the least he expected from his council. "According to our reports, they are spread out, but ready to assemble at the lightest of threats, and their armies currently outnumber ours. A direct attack is not an option as this time."

"I never thought I'd hear you say this." A small, ancient woman mused out loud, and Madara exhaled slowly in frustration. The majority of the elders of the clan were women (understandable, as they found themselves at the mercy of a sword far less often than men), and while he had learned they could be extremely shrewd and knowledgeable, and though he thought it was not their place to do so and he hardly ever listened to them, he allowed them to give their input in matters of war, but having to suffer one of his former caretakers making a jab at his behavior would be more than he could tolerate, if the woman wasn't going senile.

"With all due respect, my lord, but if we wait much longer, the Kigawa will storm into our territory regardless." One of the younger council members spoke up.

"I am aware of this; however, gambling all our forces into a single attack will only mean a quicker demise. We need to bide our time." From the corner of his eye, he saw one of his generals nod in agreement

"The Uchiha are still feared; that alone should keep them from being careless, unless they have a strong ally." He began "We already know they've allied themselves with the Uzumaki, but that shouldn't be enough for them to advance too soon. We must prevent them from contacting a more powerful clan."

"Our forts to the west are still strong; we can easily intercept anything they send in that direction." Another man added.

"Consider it done." Madara smirked. His younger brother commanded their camp to the west, and he was sure to do an excellent job once he heard word from him.

"We still lack the army to fight the forces of the Kigawa and the Uzumaki combined." One of the male elders said "Even without allies, they are bound to get restless and attack sooner or later."

"Have we not been gathering men recently?" The clan leader questioned, sweeping up the room with his eyes and making some of his general squirm under his gaze. Aa, so these were the ones who weren't doing a proper job…

"We can't spare much to hire men, and the peasants have become harder to rally, but we are doing our best." one of them said

Yes, he was _sure_ they were.

"Then do better." He replied casually, as one would talk about the weather "If we can't amass a strong army in time, we'll weaken the Kigawa's." He expected that at least one of the council members would ask some pointless question, but he was pleasantly surprised when they remained silent "We need to further distance their units, and drag them deeper into our territory."

"They wouldn't do this." One general retorted, and the mere suggestion seemed to have filled him with disgust, but that was not an issue. Madara had already been expecting resistance to his plan, and he knew there would be more.

"They would, if they felt confident enough. It has recently come to my attention that the daughter of one of our allies in Tōtomi currently resides in this very building, under our protection. If we are smart about this, we can have the Kigawa in the place we need to crush them."

"I hope you are not suggesting we can fool the Kigawa with some girl." An elder drawled, tapping her chin with a bony finger "They will see through whatever plan you're thinking of."

"Yes, I've thought of that." Madara was tired of having to explain everything to his council, and sometimes he wished he could dissolve it altogether. It would certainly make his life easier. "The plan is to feed the Kigawa information through letters. I'm aware they won't simply follow any leads; not until they trust their source."

The commotion that followed was something Madara had predicted. Even though he knew that the Uchiha's only option was to lure the Kigawa away from their posts, he understood why some in his council would have an issue with his plan.

For the Kigawa to trust the girl, she'd have to offer them information that would seemingly aid them in their campaign, and for that…

Sacrifices would have to be made.

"Are you suggesting we give away vital information to our enemies?!"

"M-my lord, this is suicide!"

"How will that help us rally more men?!"

"Silence!" He commanded, raising his hand. Although most voices halted after his words, some council members were still whispering among themselves, and Madara made a mental note of each of them. "For the ones who believe I would do something to harm this clan, I suggest you examine your own priorities. The council can rest assured that I have no interest in divulging anything important to our enemies. The Kigawa should be more than content with our scraps, and a few meaningless victories will make them overconfident. It won't take long until they think they can easily defeat us and forego their protective measures, and by then we'll have rallied more men."

The room had been plunged into silence, while its occupants looked from him to one another, with uncertain expressions, until one of the elders turned to look him in the eyes.

"This plan is incredibly reckless."

"If any of you offer to wade through enemy territory and search for allies, you are more than welcome to try." He replied, and, unsurprisingly, none of the presents made the slightest move to offer themselves for the suicide mission.

"My lord." The voice of the youngest member of the council slashed through the silence, and Madara turned to face him. "If the girl's father will not be aware of this plan, we are counting on his willingness to betray the Uchiha. Whether he ends up helping us or not, he'll do so with the impression he is going against us."

There was the slightest upwards tug to the clan leader's lips. Yes, a betrayal would mean death in most cases. A keen, although irrelevant observation, that seemed more concerned with outsiders than with the Uchiha – something that didn't surprise him, coming from the young Itachi. He had managed to be called into the council in spite of his age because of his intelligence, and though Madara would have to be blind to miss the potential the man presented, he also knew the other had a penchant for dealing with things that were none of his business.

"That's of no consequence for us." He replied, and Itachi gave a curt nod.

"The council has not yet reached a decision!" One of the clan elders protested.

"Oh, but we have." Madara replied with an amiable voice, though he knew his advisors were smart enough to understand he did it in jest "Tekka, I'll send my brother word of what we discussed here, and tomorrow you'll move your forces to our western camp and aid him in whatever he needs. I'll consult with the other generals in a week, and we'll decide how to best make the Kigawa dance for us, but as of today we'll be gifting them the fort in Kariya. And as with all things, this is not to be divulged to the rest of the clan. The council is dismissed."

The grim expressions on most of the council members' faces were to be expected, but he wouldn't relent just because his opinion was unpopular. They wanted an easy way out, and Madara knew there was none.

Slowly, the occupants of the room began standing up and exiting the room, some more begrudgingly than others, until he was left alone with the two soldiers who guarded the door.

Though he was loath to admit it, his decline in popularity worried him.

His was a world where people were killed left and right, not matter their status. The ones who had much would die by the hands of the ones who had had less, and the ones who had little would die by the hands of the ones who had more, such was their struggle for power. He could name more than a few people in his council who would love wrapping their fingers around his neck, and perhaps he'd have fewer enemies if he relented a little more, but he simply couldn't. He could not allow them to do as they wished, and he could not allow his ruling to be subjugated – not when he knew what was best for the clan.

Madara stood from the flat pillow he used as seat and left the room, the two men following close behind.

"Summon the Haruno girl to my quarters." He instructed one of them, and the escort fell behind to take an adjacent corridor. "Given her sudden relevance, I expect we'll have to keep watch on her. I trust you'll be able to take care of it, Shisui."

"Of course, my lord."

"And there should be more attempts on my life." In despite of the dark tone of the conversation, the Uchiha Lord couldn't help grinning "I hope you're in the mood for extra work."

"I could use some distraction." The other commented cheerfully "Though I hope most of it will come from the Kigawa."

"I wouldn't count on it."

Upon reaching his quarters, Madara set a table in the section of the room closest to the entrance, before closing the sliding doors surrounding him. He had no intention of letting the girl see his room in its entirety. He rummaged through a cabinet for an inkstick, brushes, papers and an inkstone, and placed the items on the table.

He began the tedious process of grinding the inkstone, allowing his mind to focus on what he'd write his brother.

It had been months since they last saw each other, and they couldn't spare messengers to send personal letters, so saying that he missed his brother would be an understatement. Madara promised himself that he'd travel west as soon as the issue with the Kigawa was solved… or maybe Izuna should be the one to visit. He'd mention that in the letter.

He had barely begun to scribble the first words of his message, when the door opened, revealing the Haruno girl, looking scared out of her wits. What she assumed her reason for her being there was obvious, and though that amused him to an extent, her terrified act did not. He didn't think he'd frighten her this much.

However, Madara didn't have to explain his reason for calling her, as the girl's expression quickly sobered and she walked towards him, kneeling by the other end of the table.

"Let your father know" He began, extending one of the brushes towards her "that the Uchiha fort in Kariya is ripe for the taking. There should be little more than twenty men and we have too much to worry about to bother with it."

"Is this all?" She questioned after a moment, and Madara didn't bother replying. If there was anything else he meant to say, he would've said it "The Kigawa will want to know how I know this."

That was not something he had thought about. He wasn't used to people inquiring as to how he knew the things he knew – it was part of his job, after all – so the thought that they'd question the girl's knowledge hadn't even crossed his mind. It was so painfully obvious, and yet he hadn't factored it in his plan.

"There's no need to worry about it unless they ask."

After a moment's hesitation, she took the brush from his fingers to dip it in the inkstone.

 _Finally._

Now he could focus on his letter.

Madara would've liked to greet his brother properly, but it was imperative that Izuna started working on isolating the Kigawa as soon as possible, and so he'd have to leave the pleasantries to the end of the letter. He even wrote that the rest of his message should only be read after provisions had been taken.

He thought he was being succinct, when the girl bowed her head and slid the paper towards him. Her calligraphy was nothing to be proud of, but maybe that was why she finished so early.

 _My dear father_

 _I've been recently told that our home was taken over by the Kigawa, and like me, you are under the mercy of another._

 _My stay in Owari has taken a turn for the dark. Although my lady and all of my friends remain kind, the treatment I receive from the Uchiha has been less than hospitable. I don't wish to worry you with the full accounts, but knowing that even the servants have been refusing to tend to me should make you understand the situation. I'm afraid someone more influential might try to blame me for some wrongdoing out of spite, and my season with the Uchiha will be cut short._

 _I can't say if this is a result of the siege or if there's another reason for me being treated as I am, but I am certain that they no longer care that we have sworn our fealty to them. If this is the case I believe we win nothing by remaining loyal._

 _I just want to tell you that the Uchiha are in a haste to regroup, and all their forces will be stationed in the main fortress. They won't be able to protect all of their outposts, and I know that their fort in Kariya is particularly vulnerable. I don't know the exact number of soldiers guarding it, but it should be little more than twenty._

 _Regardless of what actions you take, know that you'll always have my support._

 _I hope to see you and mother soon._

 _Sakura_

Madara thought he shouldn't be as surprised by her name as he was.

"I'll take care of it from now on." He spoke and Sakura bowed her head, turning her body as if to leave "There's one more thing." She paused, but didn't turn to face him "If you try to send letters in secret or sabotage this plan in any way I will know, and I will make sure you regret it."

He saw the slightest tremor run down the girl's spine before she bowed deeply and stood up, leaving before he could even think of protesting.

 _Scaredy-cat._

Madara exhaled slowly, pushing the letter to his brother away to focus on this new issue.

He had no doubts that the best way to deal with the Kigawa was to dismantle their forces subtly enough for them not to notice, but he should've know better than being so hasty. Sakura's part in the plan was so minimal he didn't even worry about thinking of an excuse for her to have knowledge that a lady-in-waiting shouldn't have and being able to send letters to her family when their fortress was under siege.

Whenever he solved a problem, another one seemed to sprout from its ashes, and it was maddening. Perhaps, if he was lucky, he would one day be able to laugh at this predicament.

* * *

 **Aah, sweet half-baked excuse for a plot.**

 **I was planning on doing each chapter in a different POV, Sakura then Madara, and so forth, but I might change it if the plot requires. Sounds ok?**

 **I need to ask you guys… what would you not like to see in terms of smut? There's no need to mention the most unorthodox, frowned-upon things. Just… How do you guys feel about oral sex? Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket.**

 ** _Kokujin_ pretty much means a lord of a small rural area.**

 **Also, in response to the comments of people who were logged off~**

 **Hashishi: I love the feudal setting for this pairing as well, though I'm biased :D Also THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I love, love, LOVE this sort of compliments!**

 **Guest: There's no need to worry about Sakura and marriage – I'm here and I'm practically the superhero of marriages (No, I'm not. But this is seriously the part of the story I'm the least worried about.)**


	3. A Flower That Wilts

Sakura found herself wandering the hallways of the Uchiha compound late at night, allowing her feet to lead her on their own. Her mind was much too occupied with thoughts of her and her family's situation to pay much attention to where she was going. If she reached her Lady's quarters anytime soon it would be purely thanks to luck.

By the time she collided against someone turning a corridor she was no less surprised than she would normally be, but she immediately recognized that was her fault, and as such she stepped back and bowed her head in an apology.

"Forgive me, I wasn't aware of where I was going." She was honestly repentant, but she suspected the tone of her voice made her sound disinterested.

The person she bumped into 'hn'd, and she'd recognize that sound anywhere.

Lord Sasuke gave her a curt nod, looking perfectly unaffected, and Sakura had to bow again to hide her reddening cheeks.

She straightened up and only stared at his chin as she sought to come up with something to say, but he'd already done that for her.

"You look ill." He commented bluntly and Sakura smiled. If anyone else had said it she'd consider it an offense, but Lord Sasuke wasn't the type to insult people for his enjoyment. It was most likely just an observation, but she decided it was harmless to imagine she heard a degree of worry in his voice.

"I'm merely tired." She replied "Thank you for your concern."

He didn't seem to believe her, but at last he nodded, as if agreeing to drop the subject.

She was about to inquire if his trip back to the compound had gone well, but he spoke before she could.

"Are you-" And then he stopped himself, while he looked at something over her shoulder.

She turned around to see what it was, but there was nothing unusual behind her.

"Are you lost?" He asked, and then she looked back to him.

Sakura was about to reply in a negative, because she hadn't really been trying to get anywhere, until she realized she had never been to that part of the building before.

"Yes." She spoke lowly "Yes, I am."

Lord Sasuke pointed to the direction she'd come from.

Sakura took the hint, and, before he could say anything else, thanked him, turned around and went back to where she'd come from.

Normally she'd cherish the opportunity to spend any time around him, but at the moment she didn't feel capable of making small talk. She was already sufficiently miserable; she didn't need to make a fool of herself in front of him as well.

This time around Sakura paid attention to her surroundings and soon found herself in an area she was familiar with, and from there it was simple to get back to the room she shared with her mistress and the other ladies-in-waiting.

She entered the quarters silently, aware that at this hour the other women would already be asleep.

She removed the outer layer of her clothing and laid down on her _futon_ , as someone in a nearby cot stood up and quickly walked towards her. In the darkness she couldn't see the other woman's features, but she knew it was Ino.

"Forehead." She whispered, kneeling by her side "What took you so long?"

"It's just…" Sakura fought the urge to sigh "There was a lot to talk about. The Uchiha Lord-"

"What? You talked to _him_?" She sounded shocked "What happened? Is Tōtomi really under siege? Did he say he was going to do something about it?"

"Yes, Ino, he did." Sakura noticed how brusque she sounded much too late, and then she added apologetically "I'm too tired to talk about it right now."

"Sakura, are you okay?"

The question made her pause. No she wasn't, but she didn't think it would be wise to tell her best friend too much of what had just happened. As much as she trusted Ino she didn't want to risk the chance of getting either of them in trouble.

"I'm fine." She said at last "Don't worry about it. I'm just tired."

There was a pause, and then Sakura felt a hand patting the top of her head.

"Goodnight, forehead." Ino said

"Goodnight, piggy."

* * *

After that there were four days of silence.

On the first day she'd stayed in her cot, excusing herself because of a sudden and not entirely invented sickness.

On the second day she'd attended her mistress with the other ladies-in-waiting, even though she had been in a dazed state. When asked about it, she replied that she still felt a little under the weather, but healthy enough to accompany the group. Her bath that day was longer than the ones she'd ordinarily take.

On the third day she was more attentive to the people around her, but more easily scared as well. She turned to look at every noise and people couldn't touch her without producing on her an almost violent reaction. Ino had demanded she tell her what had happened, and she replied that it was just the after effects of a particularly nasty nightmare.

On the fourth day she was unnaturally peppy, almost as if the three previous days hadn't happened at all. She was extremely attentive to her lady, eagerly volunteered for the games the ladies in waiting played, and happily participated in every conversation. She still flinched when touched.

On the fifth day, Sakura woke up feeling better than on the four days prior. Ino mentioned she looked melancholic, but that was because she wanted to contemplate the transient nature around the compound, and how else was one to behave in such cases?

After taking care of their morning rituals the procession of ladies took off to the gardens, all huddled together and giggling in an unthreatening manner. This particular day they weren't talking about anything special, but their mistress had advised them that this was the best way to walk when discussing important matters.

They settled on one of the gardens, underneath a tree and a good distance away from one of the training grounds.

"I'm in the mood for playing _kaiawase_ " Lady Yui declared, placing a lacquered box on the blanket that had been set out for them. "Mariko, could you play something for us?"

One of the women nodded eagerly, sitting against the trunk of the tree to examine her instrument.

Yui spent a few seconds removing the painted shells from the boxes and arranging them in a random pattern.

The game started, and the group spent a few peaceful moments matching the figures painted in the nacre, until, seemingly tired, Lady Yui sighed loudly.

"It seems the soldiers will be leaving shortly."

There was a general commotion among the ladies-in-waiting, and even the girl playing seemed to lose her composure.

"But most of them just arrived!" Another girl commented. "And one platoon already left!"

"I know." She answered, raising her hand to her face artfully, the very picture of melancholy. Sakura could only wish she was as graceful "It just isn't right for them to be sent off so soon. And I know how hard it must be for some of you…"

Sakura felt about to panic, thinking her lady had somehow learned of her infatuation, until she caught her eyeing her best friend with a devious expression.

"Is it that obvious?" Ino laughed nervously.

"Well, I find it hard not to notice!"

No, wait. Sakura had no idea what they were talking about. Was Ino interested in someone? She had never told her this.

"I'm ashamed it's so easy to notice." Ino continued "But I _am_ worried. He's not even an Uchiha, so I know he'll have less protection."

What? She liked one of the peasants that had been hired by the clan essentially as _cannon fodder_?

"I'm sure the generals will think better than to waste his talents on the frontlines. And I think you two would look great together." Lady Yui replied, and Ino looked absolutely radiant.

Sakura really had to take her friend aside and ask her who this strange person was and how come she had never told her about him.

"I am hopeful, though." Yui declared "I have trust in this clan. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

The conversation devolved into lighter topics (to which Sakura was grateful for) while they matched the colorful shells, until a pair of guards approached their group. Initially the women assumed they were headed for the training ground, but as they stopped in front of them and stared straight at Sakura, it was obvious they had different plans.

"May I help you?" Lady Yui offered, clearly uncomfortable with the interruption.

"Are you Haruno Sakura?" One of them asked, without once acknowledging Yui.

"Yes." She answered in a small voice.

"Please come with us." The other said, and his smile looked friendly, but Sakura didn't trust them at all.

"Sakura?" Lady Yui called as the young woman stood up, not hiding her disappointment at the situation.

"I-I'll be right back!" She replied with her best smile, before turning around to follow the men.

 _How embarrassing!_ She didn't want any of her friends to know she had things to talk about with any of the clan officers . Besides, Lady Yui had told them time and again how much she hated having any of the ladies-in-waiting away from her when she made the time for them to just enjoy each other's company.

As the three of them entered the building through a darkened corridor, the second guard turned to her with a grin and pointed at himself.

"Hello! My name's Shisui!"

"Hikaku". The other guard said with a subtler smile.

"Uh- I'm Sakura." She replied, watching as the two men shared an amused look.

Because of course they would. They already knew her name.

But then why did they even introduce themselves? It wasn't as if she was going to be talking to them again.

"Hey, are you a light-sleeper?" Shisui suddenly asked.

"No? Not particularly." She answered, confused.

"Right, good to know."

They remained silent for the rest of the walk, and Sakura only noticed they were taking her to the Uchiha Lord's room much too late.

To her surprise they moved towards a door before his, but as Shisui opened it for them to enter and motioned for her to follow Hikaku continued walking down the hallway, as if he'd merely tagged along an hadn't been there to escort her.

She followed the remaining guard inside and watched as he sat down cross-legged in the middle of the room, looking content with himself.

Sakura took the time to examine the room, since nothing else was required of her. It was a decently sized space, although smaller than the room she shared with Lady Yui and her other ladies-in-waiting. The floor was covered in a straw mat, and the window in the wall opposite to the door was a little small for her tastes, but it still had a beautiful view of the world outside of the compound – a benefit of being on the second floor, she supposed –, but what really caught her attention was the design on the closet on the wall to her left: Two black and red cranes stood in the center of a light blue lake surrounded by colorful reeds. The sky was painted a vivid gold, and the clouds were an almost sparkling white. Neither her mistress' room nor hers back in Tōtomi had closets like this.

"You can sit down, you know." Shisui suddenly spoke up, and she supposed it'd be rude to refuse.

Sakura settled in a place on the mat a little ways from him – she didn't want to be too close – and waited patiently.

"You're kind of quiet, aren't you?" He observed, and she shook her head.

"Not really. I just don't have anything to say."

"Funny, I thought you had a lot to say."

Sakura eyed him suspiciously, wondering if this was some sort of insult she wasn't getting.

"Nothing right now." She insisted, and the man merely shrugged in response.

They sat in silence for a while – Shisui at least seemed to respect her lack of desire for a conversation – until the door opened to reveal Hikaku followed by the Uchiha Lord.

Because of course.

She bowed mechanically and looked at anywhere but him.

"Have Shisui and Hikaku already introduced themselves?" The man asked her, and furrowed her brows. Would she need to remember the two guard's names?

"Yes. But I wasn't aware this information was necessary."

He smiled at her sardonically.

"It's best that you know the name of your protectors."

"Protectors?" She frowned.

"Since you've become such an important piece of the plan I thought it best to have people to watch over you."

"They are going to follow me around? All the time?!"

The Uchiha Lord clearly hadn't expected her to react the way she did, staring at her as if he wondered what her problem was. She had no idea how he expected her to accept the idea of being supervised so readily.

"Lady Yui will never accept this, she'd consider it espionage."

"As if it were possible to get any intelligence out of her." The man said derisively and Sakura gritted her teeth behind her closed lips "Then so be it. You don't have to follow that woman around anymore."

"Of course I do."

"No you don't." He replied with a sigh.

"I do! I can't simply abandon my duties just because you don't trust me to-"

"You have new duties." He waited for her response, but once he figured she only planned to stare at him, he continued "You are my concubine now."

Sakura's mouth fell open.

"What?!"

"For the plan." He replied, and Sakura's eyes traveled from the Uchiha Lord's exasperated face, to Hikaku's confused one, and lastly to Shisui's grin.

"What?!" She repeated, still staring dumbfounded as the Uchiha Lord signaled for the guards to leave.

"That's what you'll tell the Kigawa if they ask you where the information you relay to them is from. Say I'm infatuated with you and tell you everything on my mind."

"But… I wrote saying I was being mistreated. That wouldn't happen if I were your concubine."

"By then you weren't."

"But why would I want to betray you if-"

"Pay attention." He interrupted, kneeling to her level and she leaned away instinctively "You learned that your clan was under siege and that the Uchiha would destroy it. So you came to me begging for them to be spared and I said I would do so on the condition that you gave yourself to me, but you decided to betray me because you loathe me" _Damn right she did_ "and because you know the Uchiha can't win because I've gone mad."

"I'm supposed to tell them that?" She asked, incredulous.

"Yes." His tone brooked no room for discussion, but still, Sakura felt the need to point out some details she believed he forgot.

"Didn-"

"I don't have the time to explain every facet of my plan to you. Just do as you're told."

"I just think-"

"It's not your job to think."

The woman froze at his words. He didn't sound malicious, just tired of explaining things to her, almost as if he believed thinking was not only out of her duties, it was also out of her capabilities.

Sakura admitted there were many, many, _many_ ways to get under her skin, but the most efficient one was doubting her intelligence. Her looks, elegance, charisma and artistic pursuits were all topics she was sensitive about, but her smarts were the one area she was confident in. An insult to her mind was an insult to everything she was, and there was no way one of her usual explosions of anger was enough punishment.

As such, she decided to remain silent.

"Good." The Uchiha Lord continued once he concluded she wouldn't speak again, pulling a parchment from his sash and extended in her direction "We received this letter today. Verify if this is really your father's hand-writing."

She wanted to say that this would require too much thought on her part, but she was too smart to do that.

"And" He continued as she unfurled the letter "I assume the Kigawa have agreed to the proposition, but my reading habits might not be _sophisticated_ enough to make this assumption."

Sakura's curious face paled once she saw the contents of the letter. Her father had written it alright, and she didn't even need to check the hand-writing to know this.

 _The flower that wilts_

 _Among the ashes_

 _Fears nor the rain_

 _Nor the biting wind_

 _Foes of darkness_

 _Prayers fill the sky_

 _Clouds answer the call_

 _And drops falls for one_

 _Who hopes for light_

 _And awaits the spring_

 _The rivers shall flood_

 _And drown the fire_

She was at a loss for words. While on one hand she was angry at him for choosing to communicate in poetry - a language she wasn't fluent on -, she was impressed with his decision to make their conversation cryptic, and, she admitted, she was also touched by his words. She only hoped the Uchiha Lord didn't notice or didn't care about the jabs Kizashi made at the expense of his clan.

"Yes, this is his hand-writing." She confirmed "And he says that the Kigawa mean to attack Kariya."

The man nodded, but said no more.

"Should I write him another letter?" She suggested, anxious to break the silence.

"No. I will instruct you what to write when the time comes. For now avoid being a burden" He smirked at that and Sakura impressed herself for holding back a snarl "and enjoy your new quarters."

"New quarters?"

"I can't very well have my concubine sharing a room with another woman's ladies-in-waiting, can I?" He answered with a grin, as he opened the door to exit "Feel free to ask Hikaku or Shisui to bring you your belongings."

And with that he was gone.

Sakura remained quiet for a few moments until the meaning of his words completely dawned on her, and she pulled at her hair and grinded her teeth to keep from screaming.

He either wanted the rest of the clan to think they were involved or he was interested in taking even more advantage of her, and neither situation pleased her.

She feared people's reactions to this arrangement – Lady Yui, Ino, Sasuke; she feared being nothing more than a pawn in the power-hungry conflict between warlords; she feared for her family and her village, and she was filled with rage at being powerless to do anything about it.

Sakura cried in frustration for a period she didn't bother to estimate, as silently as she could. When she felt mistress enough of herself not to break down in front of the guards, she wiped the tears from her eyes and opened the door to the corridor.

"I need paper and writing utensils" She spoke at none of the guards in particular.

"How much paper?" Hikaku asked, causing her to pause to pause to think.

 _Well, to hell with it._

"As much as you can carry." She smiled, before vanishing back into _her_ room.

* * *

 **Holy shit.**

 **Just holy shit.**


	4. Feeble Alliances

The sun had not yet risen when Madara rode out of the Uchiha fortress, donning full battle armor.

He left on his own – going with a few men would've been too sensible, and he didn't think the matter was important enough to mobilize his entire army – to the nearest meeting point on neutral ground.

A few days before, the leader of the Kigawa had sent him word that he wanted to negotiate a truce. That wouldn't be, of course, because he already knew what the man would propose: The Uchiha would grant them safe passage through their territory, and, in return, the Kigawa wouldn't wage war on them. Most of his kinsman would deem this a fair enough trade, if a little humiliating, and Madara himself wasn't so proud he'd condemn his clan to an unequal fight because of it – _if_ the matter didn't go beyond allowing an army to cross their land.

Madara knew Kigawa Yoshimoto meant to take Kyoto, and that opening the Uchiha's borders would be paramount to handing him the capital (and, consequently, the nation) on a silver platter. Even if the sacrifices were great, he knew they'd have to pay a much direr price later on if the Kigawa were allowed to do as they pleased.

Still, he couldn't outright refuse the invitation, because it provided him with the perfect opportunity to instill undue confidence in the man. That was, after all, what his plan hinged on.

Madara arrived on the designed meeting place (a small fortress located in the junction of a river) hours before he was expected. He dismounted from his horse at the stable doors, and left the animal there, without so much as a word to the men who would tend to it. He normally wasn't _this_ rude, but he also wasn't a good actor, and if he had to pretend to be mad he might as well go with the kind of insanity that best suited his personality.

He climbed the stone stairs leading up to the entrance door, which he opened brusquely, and when a shivering attendant approached him to collect his weapons, he snarled at the man and shoved his belongings against is chest. He had considered refusing to hand them over, but that would be more trouble than it was worth.

"M-my Lord! We weren't expecting you so soon-" The man stammered.

"Then let your superiors know I'm here." He retorted, and stormed down the hall, before stopping and turning around "Are you going to stand around all day?"

The attendant excused himself and ran to enter a hallway to the left. Normally he'd be taken to the room where the meeting would take place, but he had scared the other man so much he forgot to guide him. No matter, Madara had been in the building enough times to know where he was supposed to go.

He unceremoniously entered the room he had been in countless meetings with other local Daimyos, ever since before he even became one. He allowed himself a moment to look through the barred windows and into the wilderness surrounding the fortress as he steeled himself for the next step of his plan.

Making battle plans was easy. Fighting, even more so. Acting, not so much.

Madara spotted a vase on top of a stand by the entrance door and decided that at some point in the meeting he'd break it – it was ugly anyway. He considered destroying a few more decorations, but ended up deciding against it. He knew there would be guards watching from behind the paneled walls, and they'd seize him if they thought he was a threat. He wanted to seem unhinged, not get kicked out of the building.

It wasn't long before two men entered, each having an opposite reaction to his presence. The first, tall and broad-shouldered, frowned at him, while the second, pale, slight, and downright sickly-looking, merely smiled at him in greeting.

"What overcame you to do this?" The first man asked "Didn't you think I might have better things to do than to deal with your caprices?"

"But you are here." He showed his teeth, but it wasn't quite a grin.

"It would be a pity to leave you waiting." The second said, bowing sleepily, but Madara knew better than to think he'd just woken from a nap. Kigawa Yoshimoto's incompetence as a warrior did nothing to harm his skills as a strategist.

"You are the one who called me – this _courtesy_ is the least I expected." He replied, sitting down on the floor, as the other men followed "Let's get this over with."

"As it's my duty to uphold the peace-" The taller man began, and Madara snorted loudly "-in the territories from Owari to Suruga I was quick to arrange this meeting once Lord Kigawa informed me of his resolve. I know Lord Uchiha mustn't be happy about the situation, but I'm glad he accepted my invitation."

Madara crossed his arms and rocked his body back and forth. It was a childish gesture, and one he would never do in other circumstances, but he admitted it was a good representation of his state of mind at the moment.

"All I need is your blessing." Yoshimoto said softly "Allow my army to pass through Owari, and I'll be forever in your debt."

The tall man nodded once, likely approving of the man's choice of words rather than their true meaning, and turned to Madara expectantly.

"I have another proposition." He declared "After I have your head mounted on a pike for trying to cross my territory, then I might allow some of your men to retreat relatively unscathed."

There was the briefest moment of shocked silence before the tall man pinched the bridge of his nose, while the other breathed in deeply.

"Is this why you came? To threaten me?" Yoshimoto asked, all previous traces of civility replaced by a deep frown.

Madara shrugged.

"I thought it would be rude not to announce your imminent death in person."

"This is ridiculous. I will not allow my guests to be insulted so openly."

"Insulted?!" Madara felt his face contort into a horrendous scowl as he stood up in a brusque motion "I've had my men attacked, my allies surrounded and now am expected to sit around and make niceties, and he's the one being insulted?!"

He could almost feel the guards stir behind the walls.

"This is entirely inappropriate." The man spoke "This is a sanctuary for those who seek to maintain the peace between the lands. I am-"

"You are a joke!" Madara all but shouted. He wouldn't have said that if he wasn't trying to be rude, but it wasn't a lie.

"You need to leave. Now."

"Leave it be, Kagemochi." Yoshimoto intervened, giving the other man a weary glance "Cornered animals always thrash the hardest."

He examined Madara's form; his barred teeth and taut muscles, winded up and ready to attack, but his grave expression didn't waver.

"My army outnumbers yours by more than twice its amount, and none of your allies can come to your aid." He noted placidly, almost like an observation and not a threat "If the Uchiha try to take on the Kigawa they will be extinguished."

"So be it!" With a swift motion he had Kigawa Yoshimoto's collar in between his fingers, and in the split second it took for the sentinels to spring from the walls he saw genuine fear in the man's eyes, as if he believed Madara capable of throwing his life away just to get to him.

That was all he needed to see.

He let go of the other man's shirt as the guards accosted him, brusquely pulling him away, and he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, but his eyes still maintained the same murderous glint.

"Uchiha Madara." The host spoke with a level of authority that didn't suit him "You and your clansmen are no longer welcomed here."

"I'll try not to weep over it." Still holding his hands up, Madara walked to the entrance, and took the opportunity to elbow the vase in display, smashing it against the wall and causing the stand to tumble to the ground.

He stomped out of the room, gritting his teeth to keep himself from giggling like a little kid. He really should start considering leaving meetings in a vicious mood and breaking things on his way out more often. It would at least make things less dull.

From that to leaving was just a short trip to the room were the visitor's weapons were stored (and where he shouldn't be) and a stop at the stables. His horse wasn't rested enough to take him straight home, but if he wanted to seem sanguine to a hazardous extent making the trip back to Owari on an exhausted animal would only help. He'd stop in a temple along the way for a break.

Madara got on his mount and left in a mad dash, only slowing down when he was certain he couldn't be seen from the building.

He wasn't torn over being banned from Kagemochi's little "sanctuary". It hadn't been his intention, but he had already achieved his objective there. In truth, a part of him was disgusted by the existence of the place.

Kagemochi sought to avoid battles at all costs, regardless of context, and seemed more interested in making begrudging warlords make peace like misbehaving children than to address what caused the squabble in the first place. It was an infantile tactic that was bound to backfire someday. Perhaps he could say it already had.

Madara was a lot more fatalistic about war. In a world so vast and with so many conflicting interests, it was foolish to think there could be any peace. It was possible that one man would die without knowing of conflict, but the span of a human life was short and ultimately meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Everlasting peace was nothing but a pipe dream.

* * *

In contrast with the time he had left, Madara arrived just after sunset, and red still outlined the horizon. All the better, as he didn't want just anyone finding out where he'd been.

The entrance gates opened just enough for him and his horse to pass through, and the man behind the door bowed as he approached.

"Hikaku." Madara dismounted his horse and lowered his head in greeting "Has any disaster happened while I was away?"

"None."

"No fires, explosions or mass beheadings?" It was only half a joke. He didn't trust people around him to go on their business peacefully without him breathing down their neck.

"Everything is just as you left it." Hikaku's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"And you haven't let anyone know where I was?"

"Just the people who were supposed to."

Madara nodded in acknowledgement, stringing the horse's reign around his hand to lead it into the stable, and the other man followed him in silence. They had already walked all the way to their destination and he had begun unsaddling his horse when Hikaku spoke again.

"Aa. Also, a letter from Lord Izuna arrived this noon."

Madara's fingers slipped from the seat's cinch, and he lowered his arm to create the illusion that the movement was deliberate.

"Do you have it with you?" He asked, trying to maintain his voice even.

"It's right here." Hikaku patted the breast of his jacket "Would you like to read it now?"

He extended his hand towards the man and released a breath he didn't even know he was holding once he felt the rough texture of paper against his palm. How many months had it been since he had last seen his brother? It couldn't have been less than a year – it felt like it had been forever. If he had a choice in the matter Izuna would be in their fortress, holding a position of honor in his council, not stationed in a far-away camp, but that was what his brother wanted, and Madara was notoriously bad at denying him anything.

He stored the letter inside his own vest, deciding to read it after he reached his room – though he knew he would reach for it as soon as he had locked his horse in a pen.

"Is there anything else I should know?" He questioned, matter-of-factly.

"Everything is ready for your meeting with the generals tomorrow." Hikaku answered, and he nodded in acknowledgment. "And Lady Sakura says she's bored."

Madara frowned. There was so much that bothered him in the other man's statement he had trouble figuring where he should even start.

Hikaku was a warrior and an Uchiha; he shouldn't feel obliged to refer to Sakura as he would a superior, even if Madara hadn't made her his concubine just for the sake of the plan.

That this was the second most relevant thing he had to say was worrisome well. He was expecting a shipment of harquebuses without almost as much excitement as he expected the Kigawa's first attack, and having no news of either was disappointing.

Then there was also the fact that Hikaku seemed to think he'd be interested in that piece of information. All he needed to know was if the girl was able to write letters, everything else was just useless trivia.

"Hikaku, you know of the plan." He stated as he led his mount into one of the pens.

"I do."

"Then you also know that this is none of my concern." He continued "And being bored for a chance might do her some good."

Madara didn't have a good opinion of ladies-in-waiting in general or the practice itself. It only served to fabricate relationships, develop useless skills, and foster dependency among women who aren't used to do things by themselves to begin with. Her life in the Uchiha compound up to that point resumed in playing games and looking pretty; maybe she'd find something useful to do with her newfound free time.

"I'll remember that." Hikaku acquiesced with a smile he couldn't quite place.

Madara locked the horse in and turned around.

"If that's all, you can take your leave."

"Of course, my lord." And with a slight bow he vanished into the shadows.

Good. It wasn't like he had an issue with Hikaku – he entrusted him with more than he would most of his kinsmen, in fact – he hated having people behind his back, and the thought that they could lean in to read something over his shoulder was particularly abhorrent. No, he'd rather be alone for this.

Madara pulled the paper from his coat and hastily unfurled it. He told himself reading his brother's letter now was for the best.

 _Big brother_

 _Tekka's army was intercepted in the border and they should be back soon after this letter finds you. Some of my scouts managed to get to them before the Uzumaki did._

 _The bastards are watching our routes to the east and it would be impossible to send a large group of men to Owari, but if we get support from other clans we'll be able to force through. I have a few favors I can cash in. Until then I can send you some of my best men._

 _Once we amass a large enough army we'll come to help you with the Kigawa. I'll see you then._

 _I also think it's high time we forget our truce with the Senju, but you know what I always thought about them. They'll come to the Uzumaki's aid as soon as they are called. The best we can do is trade T_ _ō_ _ka back for Kagami, or they'll run him through when they get word from the Uzumaki brat. Hashirama might have that air of irreproachable goodness about him, but we both know he isn't trustworthy._

 _You don't need to worry about me, I'm well and happy. I've been able to do things my way while helping the clan at the same time, but it would be nice to have some time off. Once the Kigawa have been dealt with we should both take a few days to ourselves .I think we deserve it._

 _And don't overwork yourself!_

 _I'll see you soon._

 _Izuna_

His vicious grip made the paper fray at the edges. He was torn between tearing it into pieces or keeping it, as he did with all of his brother's letters. The Uzumaki had once been a clan of little consequence to him: They had ties with the Senju and their territory was conveniently between the Uchiha's and the Kigawa's, making them a useful bargaining tool. His father had once attempted to use them as such, but the plan had backfired, and that once irrelevant family turned into a genuine threat. Lately the Uzumaki had been playing all their cards right, but he distinctly remembered their young lord being far from a genius. How he managed to set his small forces in such a way to perfectly fit with the Kigawa's was a mystery.

Realistically speaking, it would be nigh impossible to break the trap the two clans had set out for him.

Madara grinned.

He liked those odds.

* * *

 **Trying to write Madara pretending to be crazy was way harder than I thought it'd be. Also no Sakura on this one – Madara probably won't be on the next one either, but if it's as short as I'm thinking it will be it won't take long until we can see them interact again on chapter six. I promise they won't be all about business by then.**

 _ **Some people expressed disappointment in the length of the second chapter in comparison with the first, but the thing is, in the manner I'm writing this (a character's POV per chapter) it would be very difficult to keep everything at the same length while also not messing up the timeline.**_

 **A reply to the users who weren't logged in:**

 _ **Guest:**_ Is that an order or an observation? xD

 _ **Pomme:**_ Yoooooo thank youuuuu~!

I see you're a reader after my own heart ;) Though I'm surprised you mentioned espionage, since I didn't even get the chance to bring in the ninjas.

Also, thank you very much for the compliment to my writing abilities. There are many stories in this site that aren't particularly well written (even if the concept behind them is fascinating) that whenever someone tells me something like "You write good!" I just ASGFAKFGSKGKG

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Loser's Game

The following day, Sakura rose before the sun. After a restless night she decided it was no use trying to get any more sleep and got up and left the room.

Outside the world was dim and grey. She had hoped to catch a glimmer or light once she leaned against the railing on the opposite wall that lead to an interior courtyard, but found the sky depressingly dull.

After the Uchiha Lord had announced that she was to pose as his concubine Sakura had avoided thinking about what she'd tell Lady Yui and her fellow ladies-in-waiting (for she still thought of herself as one). She wanted to put it off forever, but it was better to get this over with as soon as possible. She just wished the weather wouldn't make her feel like staying in her room all day.

With a last glance at the clouds, she pushed herself off the railing and proceeded down the hallway. She hadn't bothered trying to memorize the way to her new room, but she'd do so now. On the chance she got lost, though, she could ask Shisui or Hikaku for help. She hadn't seen them, but she knew they couldn't be too far.

' _Like two shadows.'_ She thought grimly _'Two shadows I never asked for, watching me like hawks.'_

Getting to a place she was familiar with was easy. Perhaps it should've been worrying that the room belonging to the head of the clan was connected to so many of the main passages around the building, but maybe that was the genius of it. _Hidden in plain sight_.

It was when she was walking to Yui's quarters that Sakura realized that the women there would still be asleep. That gave her more time to ponder over her explanation, something she neither wanted nor needed.

Sakura was caught in a paradox. On one hand, she hoped to clear the situation with Yui and be done with it; on the other she just wanted to curl up under a blanket and stay there forever. She couldn't remember when and if she'd last felt this anxious, but she thought it was best to get used to the feeling. So long as her home province was surrounded she'd have something to fear.

Taking a deep breath she readjusted her course to the garden. She didn't want to think about the situation in Tōtomi, or what she'd tell Lady Yui, because there was not much she could do in either case, and some fresh air sounded lovely right about then.

Sakura had always known she had little power when compared to people around her, but only now she felt the real brunt of her insignificance.

She wasn't pretty or charming or wealthy like Ino. She didn't come from an influential family, and couldn't hold a candle to Lady Yui when it came to grace or arts. She didn't exceed in any particular skill as the other ladies-in-waiting did. She wasn't a brilliant, talented, beautiful warrior like Lord Sasuke. And she most certainly didn't have an entire clan at her beck and call like the Uchiha Lord.

What exactly did she have in her favor? She was perceptive and better read than most people, true, but that mattered little when one didn't have the means to influence others. Most concubines had some power, but most concubines weren't involved in a ploy to take down an enemy clan. She was certain that the Uchiha Lord would want her to play the part by demanding inconsequential things like clothes and excursions, but he'd repress any and all attempts she made to get some political leverage.

She couldn't stand worrying about her family and the people of her lands and being unable to do anything for them.

Once she reached the gardens she looked for things to distract herself with. A lower three branch, a particular tall patch of grass, and a budding flower were all targets of her attention, but they only had a limited potential for entertainment, and she found herself looking for more diversions soon enough. She thought of going back to her new quarters, but she wasn't surprised when she realized she simply didn't want to.

It was when she was overturning stones in search of bugs that she heard a familiar bark.

"Shiro!" She exclaimed, turning around to meet a small orange dog, who ran up to her when he heard his name, wagging his curled tail happily.

Sakura grinned, furiously scratching the animal on top of his head and behind his ears, as he barked and panted excitedly. _He was so cute!_

She giggled when he turned on his back, offering his tummy to her, which she began patting.

"Hold on!" She told Shiro, standing up and sprinting towards a nearby tree. The dog obediently stood in the same spot as he watched her break off a branch, but when Sakura waved the stick in the air he began jumping in anticipation.

Sakura smiled, endeared. Lord Sasuke had trained him well, but not so much to be able to suppress those urges.

She remembered that it had been precisely because of Shiro that they started interacting.

Lady Yui was busy with the clan ladies and Ino was in bed because of a migraine, so she took some time to wander the gardens, where she first met Shiro. It wasn't long before Lord Sasuke showed up after his dog. He was also very reserved back then, but whenever she'd ask something about Shiro his eyes would light up and he'd answer with something akin to pride.

She tossed the branch and watched as the dog bolted after it, catching it on its way down and bringing it back to her.

"Really, you are too cute!" She said, taking the stick from his mouth and petting his head affectionately.

They went for a few more rounds of fetch, and Sakura poured all her energies and concerns into playing with the dog so that all her worries now seemed something small and insignificant. That was just the sort of distraction she had been looking for.

" _Shiro_." A cold voice called from behind her and Sakura froze when she heard him, in contrast with the dog, which pranced to his master upon hearing his name.

On the occasions when he wasn't perfectly reserved Lord Sasuke could be haughty, grumpy, stern, impatient and on occasion even genuinely pleasant, but he never exhibited this much hostility, certainly not towards her.

But there were just the three of them outside, and he never got mad at Shiro.

Sakura slowly turned around to gaze into a pair of eyes, making hers widen. There was no mistaking it; she was the target of his ire.

Raking her mind for ways to placate him, Sakura bowed her head. Why was he so angry, anyway? Had word of the Uchiha Lord's decision already gotten around? Thinking that his expression could be fruit of jealousy was both unlikely and a very small comfort. Even if he had feelings for her they wouldn't be enough to ignore her situation. _Compromised_ women shouldn't be wives; it was just the style of things. No, he was most likely just disappointed that she would be a social climber, taking whichever opportunity to improve her status regardless of how disgraceful.

' _But I'm not!_ ' She wanted to protest. No matter how much she wished it wasn't like this, she was deeply affected by other's opinions of her and if they were someone she cared about, doubly so. Having Sasuke look at her with such disgust physically hurt.

The man didn't make any effort to return the gesture, merely turning away as if he deemed her unworthy of his attention. He had begun walking away when her mouth opened without her mind's authorization and called out to him. She had no plan, only the sudden need to erase that look from off his face.

To her surprise he looked at her from over his shoulder, his expression slightly softened but still nowhere near appeased. Sakura thought she was ready for dealing with Lady Yui, but she wasn't prepared for _this_.

Losing his patience, he clicked his tongue and turned around to leave again, and this time she knew he wouldn't face her again for just anything.

"I'm sorry!" She cried out, falling to her knees and bowing as low as she could, at a loss of what else to say. She did feel sorry, but it was so strange to say that when she didn't really owe him any explanations. She hadn't betrayed him, but it still felt like she had "Please, forgive me!"

Seconds ticked by without any reply, but Sakura didn't dare raise her head to check if he was even still there. If he left her like that for as long as she could stand it, she'd consider it suitable penance.

"For what?" He finally responded and his venomous tone, in stark contrast with the yipping dog at his feet, didn't go unnoticed.

"For…" She paused. She was certainly sorry about a couple of things. She was sorry she hadn't been able to stand up to the Uchiha Lord when he purposed the plan, sorry she hadn't thought of an excuse as to why she could have the information she had, sorry she hadn't fought his advances as hard as she should've, sorry a part of her had enjoyedthem, and most of all she was sorry she had disappointed Lord Sasuke "I'm sorry I… I've been such a bad recipient of your friendship."

There was the briefest moment of silence before Sakura heard the sound of rustling grass and a dog's bark growing quieter and quieter.

She only stood up once she was sure he had left.

Grimacing, Sakura wiped away the grass that had stuck to her clothes with one hand and the humidity in her eyes with the other. Her "protectors" had undoubtedly witnessed the whole exchange, and while she wasn't worried about them telling the Uchiha Lord about it (it was to pathetic to bother), she hated that her feelings were not just hers anymore. She couldn't keep a single secret.

It was still early, but since trying to occupy her time hadn't worked as well as she had hoped, she decided to just wait outside Lady Yui's chamber.

Sakura marched to her old quarters, and the pace she set was merely a token sign of protest. She didn't care to hide that she was angry, and maybe it was better that way. If she didn't seem upset her guards could start suspecting she was up to something, and being caught before even being able to start any schemes would be shameful.

She didn't have much of a plan, other than using her father's strategy to its intended purpose. The Uchiha Lord was only interested in those exchanges as far as they benefitted him, but that didn't mean the things she wrote couldn't have more than one meaning. There were certain words or expressions that only had significance to her father, and while someone who knew him well could venture a guess the Uchiha Lord wouldn't be able to understand their importance.

She didn't know where she'd take that yet, but having a way to communicate with someone who had her best interest at heart was a good first step. It made her situation seem a little bit brighter, but as Sakura approached Lady Yui's chamber, she realized this knowledge didn't make her feel less alone.

She leaned against the wall opposite to the door and slid down to the ground, fidgeting as she waited for the women inside to emerge for the day, and she didn't have to wait long for the door to be slid open, revealing a group of four ladies.

She stood up and was about to bow to them when the faces of the women paralyzed her. The ladies-in-waiting looked at her with varying degrees of worry, but the face of the woman at the head was horrible, having been twisted into an uncharacteristic grimace, and Sakura knew deep in her bones that her mistress would not forgive her.

"My Lady" Sakura began, foregoing the bow altogether "I understand you mus-"

"Please spare me; I'm not in the mood to hear your excuses." Yui interrupted, trying to move past her.

"I've no excuses." She shook replied quickly, almost desperately, and blocked the other's passage with her body "I'm not looking for forgiveness, I just don't want to be misunderstood."

"Are you deaf?" The woman questioned "I don't want to hear anything you have to say, get out of my way."

Sakura was shocked into silence for a moment, and when her senses came back to her she stepped aside to let the group through.

Yui and two of the ladies-in-waiting walked by her, but the last one remained affixed to the same spot, her faced etched with concern.

"Sakura." Ino muttered, grabbing her arm firmly but not painfully, and Sakura could see the question hidden in her eyes. "What did they-"

"Ino." Lady Yui called out, in a voice both loud and perfectly controlled. "We are leaving."

"I think I should talk to Lady Sakura." Ino insisted, her hold on her friend's arm tightening.

"Is this why you became a lady-in-waiting?" The woman scowled "Did you leave your home for this? To _talk_ to her?"

The threat in her voice was obvious to anyone paying attention. _If you dare keep being her friend I'll send you back._

Ino was clearly torn between supporting her and protecting her own position, so, even though Sakura didn't want to, she squeezed the hand that held her and nodded in reassurance. The blond frowned, but let go and backed away until she caught up with the other women.

As the steps behind her became quieter and quieter her breathing only became harsher. Sakura didn't want to cry, she had done enough of it in the past few days. Besides, she really had nothing to cry about. So long as she didn't remind herself that she was now alone, and she'd remain alone for as long as she had to live in the Uchiha compound, she had nothing to cry about. If she ignored the fact that she was alone, lost, and her family was most likely going to die, then-

"Hey." Shisui's voice called from behind her, and Sakura looked over her shoulder to find him looking at her with an unreadable expression "Are you okay?"

"Yes." She answered quickly.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?" He didn't sound like he believed her.

As if he could help. There wasn't anything he or anyone else could do. She was just a pawn in other people's games, she knew that, and she'd rather he didn't pretend there was any changing that.

"I'm bored." She spoke at last.

Shisui perused her face in search of something, perhaps honesty, and at last, nodded.

"Want to play Shōji?" He offered.

"Yes, please." She replied after some deliberation and smiled tentatively. She liked Shōji.

* * *

Sakura frowned. She had beat Shisui once and by the look of things she was about to beat him again, but the first match was too easy, and even though she had given him many opportunities to turn the game around in the second round he was still losing. There was no doubt in her mind that he was letting her win.

"Are you normally this bad at Shōji?" She questioned.

"Not really." He answered, scratching the back of his neck "But I know when I find a superior man… or woman."

"I see." She nodded and was silent again, until an idea came to her "Can I incentive you to play better?"

"How will you do that?" He seemed to be paying only half attention, his eyes lazily travelling to his fallen pieces to the girl's Silver General, which had taken down more than half of them.

"We can make a deal." She began, and that seemed to pique his interest "Whoever wins the next round can cash in a favor from the loser, whenever and wherever."

"That's interesting." He grinned "But that doesn't do much for me. What can you give me that I could possibly need?"

Sakura shrugged.

"I don't know. The favor doesn't expire; who knows where I'll be in five years? And I'll have to give you anything you ask of me. If you win, that is."

Shisui seemed to consider the proposition for a moment, and at last he nodded.

"That seems fun."

"Too bad I don't have a way of making you keep your end of the deal." She muttered bitterly.

"I'll have you know I'm a man of my word." He puffed out his chest in a comical display of pride, and Sakura smiled.

"Whoever wins definitely gets a favor, then? No going back on it?"

"Agreed." His grin widened.

Sakura ignored the bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and pushed the pieces in the board aside so they could start on their new match. He might not have given his best in their previous match, but she hadn't either. Besides, she didn't have a lot to lose.

"Now that I think about it, this is a clear case of two retainers forming an alliance without the daimyō's consent." Shisui mused out loud "It could get us killed!"

He seemed amused by the prospect.

"I won't tell if you don't." Sakura said, starting to put her pieces back in their respective places "Ready?"

* * *

 **I'm so done with having to go back and replace all instances of "Madara" with "Uchiha Lord" in Sakura's PoV. I can't wait for her to learn his name. I also did not like the end of this chapter, like I rushed to finish it.**

 **I finally did a magical thing known as: outlining the plot. It's not set in stone or anything, but now I have a timeline for the first section of the story (It should be a little over 20 chapters in total). I've also outlined the smut scenes lol**

 **Raise your hands if you can't wait for more smut! *raises hand*(I'm serious, there will either be a smut scene or an almost-smut scene on chapter six)**

 **Also, the dog was a filler character. The nest filler character, because he's a doge.**

 **Answers to people who commented last chapter but weren't logged in.**

 **Sometimeschill:** Thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

 **Kaleigh:** JSADGASDGASGI You guys definitely got my number! xD Thank you so much! Well, you know, it wasn't exactly uncommon for the daughters of samurais to learn a thing or two about combat back then *wink wink nudge nudge*


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